N5LEA Special Event Station
Lea County was created from Eddy and Chaves counties on March 17, 1917 and named for Captain Joseph Calloway Lea, just five years after New Mexico was admitted to the Union as a state. Captain Lea was the first mayor of Roswell and the father of the New Mexico Military Institute. Lea County had virtually nothing to offer except the vision of a handful of hardy settlers. Wagon roads and cattle trails were the only road connecting the sparse settlements; there were no railroad, telegraph, daily newspaper, running stream, river, nor any major center of population that could properly be called a city. The mail was a horse conveyed means of communication requiring days to be picked up and delivered.
Lea County's history has been one of change and growth. The original settlers of this area would find it hard to believe that Lea County has become so populated and plays a vital role in the production of some of the nation's energy resources.
Once known as part of the Great American Desert, the area held no promise of open water for travelers. At one time, a spring was discovered which flowed in the early part of the year, and a tall mound of rocks was built to mark the spot. This monument was a welcome sight to the people who passed through this area. It is no longer standing, because the rocks were used to build a house, but the spring still flows near Monument, New Mexico.
Today, Lea County flourishes not only in oil and gas, but also in agriculture, cattle, dairy and nuclear industries.
Lea County's history has been one of change and growth. The original settlers of this area would find it hard to believe that Lea County has become so populated and plays a vital role in the production of some of the nation's energy resources.
Once known as part of the Great American Desert, the area held no promise of open water for travelers. At one time, a spring was discovered which flowed in the early part of the year, and a tall mound of rocks was built to mark the spot. This monument was a welcome sight to the people who passed through this area. It is no longer standing, because the rocks were used to build a house, but the spring still flows near Monument, New Mexico.
Today, Lea County flourishes not only in oil and gas, but also in agriculture, cattle, dairy and nuclear industries.
Lea County Centennial - "Spirit of the Pioneer"
March 17-19, 2017
CQ, CQ, CQ, this is N5LEA, Special Event Station for the Lea County Centennial Celebration, calling CQ.
We will operate for 3 days during the celebration with several stations on different HF bands and modes. Logs will be updated uploaded to QRZ, LOTW, and eQSL periodically during and after the event. A certificate will be available in electronic form (pdf) to those stations that send a request via email. Also, a high quality certificate suitable for framing can be sent to those stations that send a donation to cover the expense and a SASE to the address listed on our QRZ page, here.
BRIEF HISTORY OF LEA COUNTY
CENENNIAL ITEMS
Lea County has created some commerative items for sale that may be of interest to some at their webpage - Lea County Centennial Page
Centennial Coin (pictured to the right) -
Cookbook
Centennial Coin (pictured to the right) -
Cookbook
